Durant, Thunder rally past Lakers

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Los Angeles, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Kevin Durant scored 19 of his game-high
43 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 107-103
win over the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center.

Durant added 12 rebounds, seven assists and three steals in the final game
prior to the All-Star break for both teams.

Durant, who was named to his fifth All-Star game, will be the Thunder's lone
participant this weekend.

Reggie Jackson added 16 points, Derek Fisher scored 12 and Serge Ibaka
finished with 10 points, seven rebounds and five blocks for the Thunder, who
have won four straight and finished the first half with an NBA-best
43-12 record.

"You have to give the Lakers credit. They are banged up and still fighting and
competing. They were making shots and spacing the floor," said Thunder coach
Scott Brooks. "Our defense picked up in the fourth quarter. We found five guys
that wanted to play and made them miss some shots."

Chris Kaman and Wesley Johnson led six Lakers players in double figures with
19 points apiece. Kaman also had 10 rebounds and six assists.

Shawne Williams added 15 points and nine rebounds and Kendall Marshall had 14
points and doled out a game-high 17 assists for the Lakers, who have dropped
a franchise-worst seven straight games at home.

The Lakers will not have a player in the All-Star game this season for the
first time since the 1995-96 campaign. Kobe Bryant was voted a starter,
despite playing just six games this season, but is unable to participate due
to a knee injury.

Ryan Kelly knocked down a jumper 13 seconds into the fourth quarter to give
the Lakers an 85-72 lead, but Durant countered with a deep trey 16 seconds
later, igniting a 12-0 run to pulled OKC within one point, 85-84.

Kaman stopped the run with a pair of free throws to make it a three-point
game, but Fisher and Durant hit triples around a Durant layup to give OKC a
92-87 lead. It was the Thunder's first lead of the game.

Johnson hit a 3 and Marshall got a tough layup to go with 4:53 showing to knot
things up and the teams traded makes until Durant buried a 27-footer with 2:03
left to make it 101-96.

The Lakers managed to pull within a point when Kaman was fouled on a reverse
layup, but the big man could not complete the three-point play and Fisher sank
a pair at the other end to make it 105-102.

Steve Blake blew past Ibaka on the ensuing possession and was fouled
attempting a layup, but split from the charity stripe. Durant was fouled and
knocked down both free throws for a four-point cushion and Marshall couldn't
get a 3-pointer to go with eight seconds left as the Thunder held on for the
victory.

The Lakers opened the game on a 9-2 run. Marshall scored the game's first five
points and also dished out two assists on the flurry. The Thunder scored six
straight to pull within one, but the Lakers pushed their lead to 22-13 after
Marshall canned a 3-pointer with 2:51 to play in the opening session and the
hosts led 24-17 after 12 minutes.

OKC pulled within four points, 28-24, with a Fisher jumper 2 1/2 minutes
into the second quarter, but LA made it 33-24 moments later. The Lakers
eventually pushed their spread to double digits, 37-25 with 7:10 to go.

The Thunder pulled within five, 44-39, after a tomahawk slam from Durant with
just over 2 1/2 minutes left in the first half, but the Lakers outscored OKC
10-5 the rest of the way to take a 54-45 lead into the break.

A Williams layup with five minutes left in the third gave the Lakers a 71-57
lead and LA held an 82-72 lead entering the final frame. The Lakers led by as
many as 15 in the third quarter.

Game Notes

Durant has 32 games with at least 30 points this season ... OKC improved to
22-8 without Russell Westbrook this season ... The Thunder scored 26 points
off 23 Lakers turnovers ... LA had 29 assists on 40 field goals ... Blake
finished with 13 points and Jordan Hill had 10 for the Lakers.

228roots

236 KD will have to step down a level with Westbrook being back; kinda reminds me of the 2001 New England Pats scenario... Tom Brady, the 2nd string QB (in this case, KD isn't 2nd string) getting to play for the team leader, and during the leader's absence, he goes off like a bullet. IDK if the coach will let Westbrook and KD play equal, or let Westbrook back on and let KD "rest up" for the Playoffs.

KingHockeyMan @236 - Agreed w/'Thunder being best in the West.. If healthy by the playoffs the Heat & Thunder should meet. There are other teams like the Pacers Clippers that have a say in that. U B KOOL 236 ;-)... .